Technical Field of the Invention
The present disclosure relates generally to medical catheter apparatus, and more particularly to a catheter insertion apparatus.
Description of the Related Art
Catheters are known medical devices for administration of fluids within cavities, ducts, and vessels of a body. Various known catheter devices have been employed for simultaneous withdrawal and introduction of a fluid within a body. These devices may utilize multiple lumens, such as dual lumen catheters that facilitate bi-directional fluid flow whereby one lumen performs withdrawal of blood and the other lumen introduces treated blood to the vessel. In hemodialysis applications catheters are used to withdraw blood from a blood vessel and return the treated blood back to the blood vessel after the blood is treated by an artificial kidney device.
Methods of catheter placement in a body vessel are well known. Current catheter placement techniques may result in tearing or snagging of vessel tissue as well as patient discomfort during placement. To address such trauma, catheters are often manufactured from softer and more flexible materials. These softer and more flexible materials may require the use of a stiffener to aid in the placement of the catheter in the vessel.
Therefore, it would be desirable to have a catheter apparatus that facilitates placement within a body vessel with reduced vessel trauma and patient discomfort. It would highly desirable if the catheter apparatus and its constituent parts are easily and efficiently manufactured and assembled.